Ousamma Mellouli may be stripped of the 800m freestyle gold medal he won at last month’s World Championships in Melbourne.Â
Mellouli, who attends the University of Southern Calafornia, admitted to taking an Adderall tablet last December to help stay awake during a late-night study session. Soon after, he travelled to compete at the US Open Chamionships, where he tested positive for an illegal amount of amphetamines.
The Tunisan Swimming Federation knew of the positive test prior to the World Championships, but chose to accept his explanation and issue a warning.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport will now determine Mellouli’s fate. He may have all other accolades from the past 6 months erased, plus face a 2-year suspension, which would mean that he would miss the Olympic Games in Beijing next year.
Recommendation: If you haven’t already listed to Kicker Vencil’s interview on Timed Finals, you should. Kicker was suspended from swimming for 2 years in 2003 after a dietary supplement caused him to fail a drug test. He has great advice for any athlete who is subject to drug testing. Listen here.